Asaki

 

Asaki (あさき) is an artist hired by Konami Corporation to create music for their Bemani game series. Along with Kozo Nakamura, Asaki made his Bemani debut on the release of Guitar Freaks 7th Mix & DrumMania 6th Mix. His lyrics are mostly ballad based and sung in a scat singing style (indeed, many listeners have a hard time understanding his singing), while his music incorporated the style of Japanese Visual kei, classical Japanese, classical European, and jazz, with most of his music appearing in the Guitar Freaks/DrumMania series. He ocassionally composes for the Pop'n Music series, and as of early 2007, he composed two songs for the Beatmania IIDX series. Compared to most other Bemani musicians, he's the most reclusive, and is quite unheard of in North America, especially among Bemani fans who do not play DrumMania often. This is due to the fact that most of his songs are featured on DrumMania and are very difficult, and thus not commonly heard by beginners.

About all that is known about Asaki is that he likes curry and cats, and was quoted in a Konami interview that he had previously been a bassist in a visual kei band called "Blanc Neige." He also composes his own music, writes his own lyrics, and plays all of his own instruments. Even in a recently publicized photo, his face was covered up with a cat plushie.

Songs

Here is a list of Asaki's compositions and collaborations:

beatmania IIDX

beatmania IIDX 12: HAPPY SKY

• キャッシュレスは愛情消すティッシュ (Cashless wa aijoukesu tissue) [collaboration with Jimmy Weckl as GINGER]

beatmania IIDX 13: DistorteD

• カゴノトリ~弐式~ (Kagonotori ~Nishiki~) [collaboration with Orange Special Lounge]

beatmania IIDX 14: GOLD

• 鬼言集 (Kigonshu)
• four-leaf [collaboration with Sis Bond Chit]

ee'MALL

ee'MALL 2nd Avenue

• 螺子之人 (Neji no hito) [also appeared in Guitar Freaks & DrumMania MASTERPIECE SILVER and pop'n music 15 ADVENTURE]
• 純勉夏 (Junbenka) [collaboration with ションボリくらぶ and ジェットさん]

Guitar Freaks & DrumMania

Guitar Freaks 7th Mix & DrumMania 6th Mix

• 蛹 (Sanagi) [also appeared in Guitar Freaks & DrumMania MASTERPIECE GOLD]
• 誰? (Dare?) [collaboration with Handsome JET Project]

Guitar Freaks 8th Mix & DrumMania 7th Mix

• ツミナガラ... と彼女は謂ふ (Tsuminagara... to kanojo waifu) [also appeared in Guitar Freaks & DrumMania MASTERPIECE GOLD]
• ロマンス (Romance) [cover song as Captain Rock, originally by Penicillin]
• わすれもの (Wasuremono) [from the power-up ver., collaboration with Handsome JET Project feat.みずしな孝之]

Guitar Freaks 9th Mix & DrumMania 8th Mix

• 月光蝶 (Gekkou chou) [also appeared in Guitar Freaks & DrumMania MASTERPIECE SILVER and Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA]
• 花の唄 (Hana no uta) [collaboration with Chii-chan]
• BEAMS [cover song as Captain Rock, originally by Kuroyume]
• 瞬的愛歌 (JET LOVE) (Shun teki ai ka (JET LOVE)) [collaboration with Handsome JET Project]

Guitar Freaks 10th Mix & DrumMania 9th Mix

• この子の七つのお祝いに (Konoko no nanatsu no oiwaini) [also appeared in Guitar Freaks & DrumMania MASTERPIECE GOLD and Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA]
• Agnus Dei [also appeared in Guitar Freaks & DrumMania MASTERPIECE SILVER and beatmania IIDX 12: HAPPY SKY]
• ヘリコプター (Helicopter) [collaboration with Pink Capsule]
• カゴノトリ (Kagonotori) [collaboration with Orange Special Lounge]
• Handsome JET L-Project [collaboration with Handsome JET Project]

Guitar Freaks 11th Mix & DrumMania 10th Mix

• 赤い鈴 (Akai suzu) [long version, also appeared in Guitar Freaks & DrumMania MASTERPIECE GOLD]
• 鬼姫 (Onihime) [under another alias, 鬼の子合唱団 (Oninoko Gashodan)]
• 二人はラブラブ(仮) (Futari wa love love (kari)) [collaboration with Handsome JET Project]
• こたつとみかん (Kotatsu to mikan) [collaboration with Pink Capsule]

Guitar Freaks V & DrumMania V

• mushroom boy [singing as 'Poo']
• You can't do it if you try [collaboration with 遠藤一馬]
• 哀愁のコリゴリラ (Aishuu no kori gorilla) [collaboration with Handsome JET Project feat.みずしな孝之]
• ひとりぼっち (Hitori bocchi) [collaboration with Pink Capsule]
• Plastic Umbrella [collaboration with chico]
• Die Zauberflöte [collaboration with Hideyuki Ono and TOMOSUKE as わんにゃん☆パニックス]

Guitar Freaks V2 & DrumMania V2

• 蛍 (Hotaru) [first appeared in Asaki's album "Shinkyoku"]
• ¥真超深TION¥ (¥ShinchoushinTION¥) [collaboration with Des-ROW as Des-あさ]

Guitar Freaks V3 & DrumMania V3

• 虧兎に告ぐ (Kito ni tsugu)
• Ru-Ru-Ru [collaboration with Sis Bond Chit]
• Micro fin [collaboration with Rotten Blotch]

Guitar Freaks V4 & DrumMania V4 Rock×Rock

• 極東史記 (Kyokutou shiki)
• DEADMAN'S BED [collaboration with Rotten Blotch]
• Vertigo [collaboration with Sis Bond Chit]

pop'n music

pop'n music 10

• 幸せを謳う詩 (Shiawase wo utau uta)
• 明鏡止水 (Meikyou shisui) [collaboration with TOMOSUKE]

pop'n music 12 IROHA

• 雫 (Shizuku)

pop'n music 13 CARNIVAL

• 真超深TION (ShinchoushinTION) [collaboration with Des-ROW as Des-あさ]

pop'n music 14 FEVER

• 猿の経 (Saru no kyou)

pop'n music 15 ADVENTURE

• つばめ (Tsubame)
• 天庭 (Tentei) [under another alias 閣下 (Kakka)]
• neu [Provided guitar parts for Shonen Radio (WAC)]

Other Compositions

Musician's Room OST

• 戻らない恋 ~Forever Version~ (Modoranai koi ~Forever Version~) [as Captain Metal; a remix of the song Modoranai koi by The Panthers]

Discography

Asaki released his first album, "神曲" (Shinkyoku) in September 16, 2005. The CD track list is the following:

1. 蛹 (Sanagi)
2. 蛍 (Hotaru)
3. 幸せを謳う詩 (Shiawase wo utau uta)
4. この子の七つのお祝いに (Konoko no nanatsu no oiwaini)
5. 予後の音 (Yogo no ne)
6. 月光蝶 (Gekkou chou)
7. 赤い鈴 (Akai suzu)
8. 雫 (Shizuku)
9. 神曲 (Shinkyoku)
10. 空澄みの鵯と (Sorasumi no hiyo to)

Trivia

• He is sometimes depicted as a cat with the letter "A" on its forehead
• Based from Asaki's comment on the song "ONIHIME" (from GF11DM10), "ONINOKO GASHODAN" is "12 Asakis". [１２人くらいのあさき]

External links

• Asaki's official website

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